Beer Review: Bass Ale

Brand: Bass Pale Ale
Brewery Location: England
Price Per Case: $33.00
Alcohol By Volume: 5.00%
Style: English Pale Ale
Serving Type: 12oz. Bottle
Availability: Year-round
Company Website: Bass Ale

Story:
When I first started drinking for the purpose of enjoying beer, I used to walk up and down the import isle at my local beer distributor. I had this preconceived notion that all imports had be better than the domestic stuff. Every other week, or so, I would make a point of picking up a case of something new. Most beers were enjoyable, but the one that always stuck out among the rest was Bass Ale.

For a long time I made a point to have at least a six-pack in the fridge to have something enjoyable to fall back on. Up until I started giving the micro-brews a try, Bass was my go-to beverage when I wanted something nice. As time passed I began to appreciated the smaller breweries much more and I sought out Bass Ale less and less.

Feeling like a beer, I headed to my local beer distributor and took a look around. His micro-brew selection was very limited and as a result, I went with a case of Bass Ale hoping to enjoy it just as much as I used to.

Opinion:
After popping the cap from my bottle of Bass Ale, I gave it a pour. I gave it a minute or so before putting my nose to the glass in an effort to take in the aromas. After trying several times to come up with a distinct aroma, I had nothing. All I could pull from the ale was a typical beer smell that lacked any pronounced aroma.

Swirling the glass produced a white frothy head that quickly ran down the glass and back into the liquid below. The appearance of my Bass Ale was very nice, it presented itself with a deep amber color that looked completely clean.

Having had this beer on numerous occasions in the past, I had a general idea of what to expect. The time span since my last Bass Ale left me a little curious and eager to dive right in. After taking my first sip, I looked down at the glass a little puzzled. It tasted very bland compared to what I thought I remembered.

While my Bass wasn’t packed with flavor like I was expecting, it was pleasant none the less. Aside from a typical macro-brew sort of flavor, I could taste a little orange peel as an aftertaste. The flavor of hopps were very mild from start to finish, which seemed to make it go down very quickly.

I’m not sure if drinking the occasional micro-brew has changed my tastes over the last few years, but this beer wasn’t nearly as full flavored as I remember it being. While I did find it enjoyable, I can no longer justify spending the $33.00 per case when there are much bolder micro-brews available in the same price range.